Secrets and Silence
by Flashstep
Summary: The Kyuubi was powerful demon, and power attracts sycophants. Konoha is about to discover the consequences of sealing a demon lord.


-Prologue-

Sarutobi Hiruzen was concerned.

He always was, of course, always worried about Konoha's fate, always questioned whether his decision would see the village prosper, even if they weren't just, but this was different.

Or maybe it was better to say that this particular matter was something personal, something that was always tinged with regret, ever since that day when he had been made Hokage -again- tasked with watching over a village that burned all around him.

Contrary to what most people thought, most of the damage Konoha had suffered, most of the dead, were not caused directly by the Ninetails. It was the bizarre posse of destruction that followed, hidden in the flickering shadows caused by the the fires of the Kyuubi's rampage in Konoha's forests, that killed and maimed Konoha's civilian populace. Of course, no civilian could see the things that twisted their minds until they turned on each other, the little voices that exerted more influence than any Genjutsu master ever could, they only saw the effects end abruptly when the monster wreathed in flames vanished in otherworldly light.

Sarutobi knew that this plague had not been sealed, he knew that the little blond boy he saw running around the village did not hold these monsters along with their lord.

And now he also knew where they had gone.

They hadn't.

He had not witnessed it personally, but the ANBU guarding Naruto at all times reported the incident swiftly, fearing the abilities of the fox awakened over a silly playground squabble.

But the Kyuubi did not attack the mind directly and no chakra had passed the seal. He would have to make the hunter-nin and sealmasters aware of this. At least one adept would need to be in Naruto's area at all times.

He hoped that he was wrong.

* * *

If someone were to ask Naruto about his friends he would not be able to give a clear answer.

Just that they had always been there, unseen, but not unheard, a calming presence of whispers, soothing him, warning him of bullies in exchange for strange favors. Years ago they had started asking for bigger things, urging him to leave the village and live in the forest or demanding that he hurt someone.

That had made him angry, and he had snapped that he might just hurt them instead. It was that day he realized that they feared him, for the voices had stopped as one and fled. They had come back after one miserable day, but they didn't ask favors for a long time.

When they started again they offered larger things for smaller favors, he destroyed a spiders net in exchange for peaceful sleep, killed a few birds for protection from the bigger kids. Originally he was supposed nail the dead birds to a tree, but they had relented after he had complained that doing so was icky.

He still had a standing offer for "useful advisors" but he wouldn't be able to get that many Kunai until he graduated.

But even though he had known his friends for so long, he had never seen them until today.

He had just been sitting idly on the academy swing, wondering about the next tests when one of the civilian kids had suddenly come over and demanded that he leave. He hadn't wanted to, it was _his _swingafter all, but the brown haired boy had been insistent.

So he had gotten off, muttering a few insults, when was suddenly shoved from behind. He had been so angry at that moment, spitting out a bit of dirt as he swiveled around, only to find his assailant lying on the ground in fetal position.

He had seen his friends then, in the little shadow that danced over the boys face, contorted in grimace of pain. His eyes had dulled from their usual green, but there was a flickering light in them that caused him to lean closer.

And then the screaming had started. He had not seen what happened after that, because there a big hand and on his shoulder and a blur and a nice room without doors.

* * *

Well there you have it. This is my second attempt at Naruto fanfiction and obviously AU. The premise is actually something I took from a character background of the game Academagia, which is absolutely brilliant and well worth a try, even if it's hard at first. Please tell me what you think!


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